Safety equipment for building sites

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a construction safety assembly. The inventive assembly comprises: safety posts with non-skid ends, which are provided with means for the rapid connection of a barrier; and, optionally, an upper jack-type safety element having a lower horizontal protrusion along an inclined plane, which is used to brace the cornice or projecting element of a building and which can also comprise the aforementioned barrier connection means. The adjustable-length barrier comprises a base which covers the lower part thereof. In this way, the invention provides a dual safety assembly of very simple construction, which can be used to guarantee the collective safety of labourers performing external and internal construction work and prevent accidents.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §§ 371 national phase conversionof PCT/ES2004/000080, filed 24 Feb. 2004, which claims priority ofSpanish Application No. R200300462, filed 26 Feb. 2003. The PCTInternational Application was published in the Spanish language.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This is formed by safety posts with non slip ends which are equippedwith rapid connection parts for fencing and with the option of an uppersafety part in the form of a jack with a lower, horizontal, inclinedextension to be attached to a building's cornice or protuberance whichmay also include these fencing connection methods. They may be extendedin length and include a base which covers the lower part of the same.

It's very simple construction means that it is possible to guarantee theoverall protection of workers on outdoor and indoor building sites,preventing accidents with the invention's safety equipment.

This appplication for an Invention Patent consists of, “SAFETY EQUIPMENTFOR BUILDING SITES” as stated in the title which has been constructed,set out and designed to fulfil the purpose fpr which it has specificallygeen designed, with maximum degree of safety and effectiveness andproviding numerous advantages as shown in this document.

The high rate of accidents in the building industry arising from thehigh degree of risk in the work carried out (by its very nature and bythe nature of the site where it is carried out) is currently a veryserious problem. Accidental falls on building sites, particularly fallsfrom a great height, plus being hit by objects, are currently the mainrisks to workers on a building site.

Awareness about the high degree of risk in the construction industry hasbeen increasing over recent years. A significant degree of effort hasbeen put into protection equipment such as nets and other similarequipment in order to prevent injury. Also access to the building sitehas to be maintained in a good condition, there have been improvementsand increases in signage as well as showing precautions to be taken onthe building site. Nevertheless, these safety measures are unfortunatelystill insufficient to reduce the site accident rates in the industry.

On building sites which use posts before and/or after shuttering thebuilding, after the floors have set, the risk of the worker falling,(perhaps through tripping accidentally on the floor, through, forexample, becoming unbalanced after straining too hard, or throughfainting, etc) is very high because of the gaps between posts,particularly when this space opens out onto a long drop, creating asignificant potential risk. Usually this gap is partially covered withwooden planks, iron bars, nets or it is left without being covered. Thisis not a solution to the problem at all.

Therefore there is potentially serious danger for builders on a buildingsite because of these gaps between posts. Wooden planks or iron barswhich are normally available to cover the space between adjoining postsoffer minimal safety on a building site and simply act as ‘reassurance’,that is to say visual symbols for the worker warning him that there is adanger present. These measures are insufficient to prevent accidents ona building site.

To solve this problem this invention proposes safety equipment forbuilding sites which has been specially designed to protect all workerson indoor and outdoor building sites.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It consists of safety equipment to be used on a building site subsequentto the shuttering stage, after the floor has set. As will be shownlater, the advantageous features of the safety equipment in thisinvention mean that it is also likely to be used for building beingrenovated as well as during interior decoration work.

The safety equipment in the invention basically comprises of a series ofsafety posts built from telescopic tubular bodies equipped withsupporting surfaces and locking mechanisms to prevent relative movementbetween the posts after they have placed in position. The layout of thetelescopic tubes offers a wide range of heights. It must be rememberedthat these safety posts do not have the same function as the posts whichare usually used on sites. The posts commonly used as supporting partsare specially designed to withstand axial compression loads. Posts aregenerally used to hold up construction work during maintenance orrenovation work. However, safety posts in this invention are designed tosupport side impacts and not to avoid slide sideways when receivingimpacts, vibrations and the possibility cracks in the construction workdrying out. Therefore, according to the invention, the upper end of thesafety post has non-slip surfaces which in one example may be a rubberor similar material surface on the upper end of the safety post and arough surface on the lower end or base which allows the safety post tobe fixed on the building site. The lower end may be made into a footwith extensions going down to anchor the safety post on to the untreatedsurface of new building work for example.

On the other hand, the side area on at least one of these pieces ofequipment has the means to rapidly connect a fence using the transversemechanism to join it to the safety posts. This fencing or rail offersthe required safety to guarantee protection around the outside of thebuilding site as well as providing access to interior stairways forinstance, lift shafts and flat roofs. The layout of the banister asoverall protection equipment prevents potentially fatal falls. In orderto achieve this, the aforementioned banister as part of the safetyequipment is designed to withstand weight and impact from the employeesand building equipment present on the site.

In some scenarios it may be necessary to adapt the fencing to differentgaps between safety posts. To do this and in accordance with theinvention's safety features, the aforementioned fencing comprises ahorizontal bar structure and other reinforcing bars, in such a way thatthese bars may be extended in length to vary the operating length of thefencing.

As an option, the invention may be equipped with an upper safety partwhich is especially adapted to connect a safety fence in such areas as ahouse's balcony or similar locations where there are no safety posts.This upper safety part comprises a vertical holding piece with the lowerend having a horizontal extension ending in an inclined plane. Theaforementioned upper holding piece on the safety equipment includes ahorizontal part which moves vertically along it and is equipped with alocking mechanism. The configuration of this vertical holding piece letsa cornice or a protuberance on a building to be captured between theaforementioned horizontal extension and the moveable horizontal part asthough it were a chuck. By doing this, the aforementioned inclined planeis properly supported on the upper end of the safety post. Therefore,the vertical holding piece remains fixed throughout the building work.The aforementioned inclined plane, which is in the shape of a disc, mayinclude a rubber safety base between it and the end of the safety postwhich it can rest on to prevent any of the parts from moving as happenswith the aforementioned safety post. The vertical holding piece hasrapid connection parts like the transversal fencing in accordance withthe other parts of the invention. These connections allow fencing to belocated in higher areas of the building work, above the safety posts, onbalconies for example. Therefore the invention can become very simplyconstructed, highly effective dual safety equipment.

The way the equipment has been invented means that the safety fencingincludes a base or kick plate covering its lower section. The kick plateis designed to stop objects from falling onto people on the buildingsite or to prevent an employee getting past it and removing the base toget inside the fencing. It is therefore, a part which reinforces thesafety equipment's safety.

As previously stated, the invention has locking equipment designed toprevent movement between the aforementioned telescopic tubes on thesafety posts. The preferred configuration for this locking equipmentwill essentially include a tubular part which will fit tightly aroundthe central part of the safety post where it holds together both tubes.This tubular part is threaded on the inside to be able to fit an outerthread on the upper end of the lower tube. In this way turning thetubular part to tighten it moves it vertically toward the upper tube tobutt up against a rod located in its opening to prevent the safety posttubes from moving.

Preferably, this tubular part has at least one side opening to house alever key which has been designed to rotate it. This is a special keywhich is located inside a container on each floor of the building. Thiscontainer will be a striking colour so that it can be found easily andtherefore may be used on the safety post. Once the key has been used,the operator must return it to the container. This obliges the employeeto be aware of the importance of safety on the building site.

In order to simplify the equipment and to make it easy to assemble, therapid connection devices on the aforementioned fencing are made fromhooks designed to be located in the openings on the fencing. A specificexample of this would mean that these rapid fencing connection devicesare pairs of hooks on the side of each safety post tube which aredesigned to be put into the respective pairs of holes on the fencesforming them into a right angle. Here, each hook in the pairs of hooksis welded to the safety post at different heights to preventinterference between the aforementioned fencing.

The rapid fencing connection devices on the invention are on every tubeon each safety post so that the safety post may connect fencing atdifferent heights. This guarantees safety on the building site in anysituation and for any type of work being carried out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the safety equipment in this inventionwill be evident from the detailed description of its preferredconfiguration shown below. This is a non-limiting example and includesthe attached drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a safety post in the invention equipped withfencing and a vertical holding piece which is also supplied with thefencing;

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged cross-section of the locking mechanism toprevent movement between the telescopic safety post tubes;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention's safety equipment;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the invention fencing safety equipment; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the invention's safety post shownwithout the fencing.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The parts used in the preferred configuration of the invention aredescribed below:

-   -   (1) Safety post;    -   (2) Lower tube;    -   (3) Upper tube;    -   (4) Safety post locking mechanism;    -   (5) Fencing rapid connection mechanism;    -   (6) Fencing;    -   (7) Upper safety piece;    -   (8) Vertical holding piece;    -   (9) Horizontal extension;    -   (10) Inclined plane disc;    -   (11) Vertically moving horizontal piece;    -   (12) Moveable horizontal piece locking mechanism;    -   (13) Building cornice or protuberance;    -   (14) Rubber safety base;    -   (15, 16) Horizontal fencing bars;    -   (17, 18, 19) vertical fencing bars;    -   (20) Reinforcing fencing bars;    -   (21) Kick plate;    -   (22, 23) Safety post tube ends;    -   (24) Non-slip safety post piece;    -   (25) Safety post locking tube mechanism;    -   (26) External thread on the upper end of the lower safety post        tube;    -   (27) Rod;    -   (27 a) Rod safety lock;    -   (28) Upper tube openings;    -   (29, 30) Side openings on safety post locking tube mechanism;        and    -   (31) Special lever key.

Safety equipment comprising a series of vertical safety posts will bedescribed. These safety posts (1) will be separated as illustrated inFIG. 3 attached to this report. This diagram shows two of theaforementioned posts (1). The safety posts (1) in the safety equipmentin the invention is painted in a striking colour so that it can beeasily detected in a danger zone by the operator, for example,fluorescent orange. Each safety post (1) shown basically comprises of alower tube (2) and upper tube (3) which is held in position by slidingit inside the lower tube (2) telescopically in order to obtain differentheights. In the middle area there are mechanisms (4) to prevent movementbetween the tubes (2, 3). These mechanisms are described in more detailbelow.

These safety posts (1) have mechanisms (5) for the rapid connection of afence (6) in a transversal position in terms of each safety post (1). Inthe example, the fence (6) is up to 3 metres long and its configurationmay be clearly seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings. As these drawings showthat the rapid fencing connection mechanisms (5) are made up of hooks(in the example shown). These hooks may be anywhere along the lower tube(2) and on the upper tube (3) (or on both) depending on the degree ofcoverage required by the building site. In every situation the fencing(6) covers the existing gap between two adjoining safety posts (1) togreat effect. This provides the required safety to guarantee protectionaround the outside of the building site, stairways, lift shafts andother locations on the building site. The configuration of the fencing(6) shall be described in greater detail in terms of FIG. 4 of thedrawings.

A significant feature of the invention and referring to FIG. 5 of thedrawings is the upper end (22) and lower end (23) of the safety posts(1) in the invention. These are equipped with the relevant non-slipsurfaces (24). The lower part of the lower tube (2) on the safety post(1) has a metal foot grip or a grooved or rough shoe extending downwardsto improve the anchoring of the safety post (1) onto the ground of thebuilding site. More specifically the upper end (22) of the safety post(1) may have a grooved rubber base (24) while the lower end (23) of thesafety post (1) may have a grooved rubber foot with thick studs (24).This configuration makes the invention safer because each safety post(1) can effectively absorb blows and vibrations, preventing the posts(1) from sliding sideways on impact and also absorbing possible crackswhen the building work dries out.

With particular to FIG. 1 in the drawings, the invented piece ofequipment also has the option of an upper safety piece, called (7) indrawing number 1. The upper safety piece (7) comprises a verticalholding piece (8) at the lower end of which is a horizontal extension(9) ending in an inclined plane disc (10). The upper safety piece alsohas a vertically moveable horizontal piece (11) and is equipped withmechanisms (12) to lock this part in a vertical position with regard tothis vertical holding piece (8). As FIG. 1 in the drawings attached tothis report shows, the aforementioned upper safety piece (7) allows theexternal section of a building's cornice or protuberance (13) to betrapped between the aforementioned horizontal extension (9) and themoveable horizontal piece (11). The trapping of the building's corniceor protuberance (13) between the horizontal extension (9) and thevertically moveable horizontal piece (11) occurs because of downwardcompressive force exerted by locking mechanisms (12) onto the verticallymoveable horizontal piece (11) and upward compressive force exerted bylocking mechanisms (4) through upper tube (3) and rubber safety base(14) onto the inclined plane disc (10), and the horizontal extension(9), such trapping also connecting the upper safety piece (7) with thesafety post (1). The assembled position shown demonstrates that thelower surface of the inclined plane disc (10) is supported on the upperend of the safety post (1) so that the vertical holding piece (7)remains fixed during the building work due to the locking mechanisms(12) which, by way of an example may be a screw, (although otherequivalent locking mechanisms are possible). The disc (10) includes arubber safety base (14) assembled between the disc itself (10) on thehorizontal extension (9) and the upper end of the tube (3) on the safetypost (1) This prevents the relative movement and vibration of thedifferent parts.

As with the upper and lower tubes (3, 2) on the safety post (1), theupper holding piece (7) also has traversal fencing (6) and rapidconnection mechanisms (5). This allows fencing (6) to be located inupper areas of the building work above safety posts (1) as seen in FIG.1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 shows that the traversal fencing (6) with the safetyequipment has a relatively lightweight structure comprising verticalbars (17, 18, 19) and reinforcing bars (20). Sometimes the fencing mighthave to be adapted to different gaps between the safety posts (1)although this is not illustrated. In order for it to be able to do this,it is envisaged that the fencing structure may be extended lengthways tochange its operating length. This scenario allows this safety equipmentinvention to be used on renovation and interior decoration work. By wayof an example, the equipment may be effectively used for repairingbalcony ceilings, attaching awnings and changing balustrades, etc.,where the safety equipment on the upper section of the balcony coversthe gap where an employee working above the height of the balconyfencing may fall.

On the lower part of the aforementioned fencing (6) there is a base orfoot (21) which covers the lower part of the fencing (6) to preventobjects falling off which may accidentally injure an employee. The base(21) may be a strip of canvas stretched between the end upright bars onthe fencing (6). This may also be a metal or plastic plate or any othertype of suitably strong material. The base (21) may also be made from acombination of materials, for example, an area of canvas plus a lowerband of another suitably rigid material.

As previously stated, the invention also has locking mechanisms (4) onthe safety posts (1) which prevent the backward movement of the tubularparts (2, 3). FIGS. 2 and 5 show that these mechanisms (4) include atight fitting tubular piece (25) which surrounds the central part of thesafety post (1) where the two tubes fit together (2, 3) as seen in FIG.5. The tube is threaded on the inside (25) in order for an outer thread(26) on the upper end of the lower tube (2) to be screwed onto it asshown in FIG. 2. Turning the tube (25) in the tightening direction movesit vertically towards the upper tube (3) butting up against a rod (27)(or hiding a locking pin) which is housed in the opening (28) to preventthe aforementioned tubes (2, 3) on the safety posts from moving. The rod(27) is locked by the safety locking part (27 a) to prevent it fromaccidentally falling out of the safety post (1).

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the tube (25) has a pair of side openings (29,30) where the special lever keys (31) are placed. This (31) key isdesigned to turn the tube (25)and is to be stored in a container (notshown) on each floor of the building. After the key (31) has been used,the operator returns it to the aforementioned container so that everyoneis aware of the importance of safety on a building site.

Having sufficiently described the details of the safety equipment inthis invention using the attached drawings, it is understood thatappropriate changes to the details of the invention may be made,whenever the essential features of the summarised invention are notaltered.

1. Safety equipment for building sites including several safety postsand fencing, the fencing being attached between adjacent safety posts,each of said safety posts comprising at least two telescopic tubesequipped with a locking mechanism to prevent the post from moving, eachof the safety posts having hooks on the side for connecting to openingsin the fencing, the fencing comprising a structure of horizontal barsand reinforcing bars, wherein the safety equipment further includes anupper safety piece comprising a vertical holding piece having a lowerend which has a horizontal extension ending in an inclined plane, theupper safety piece further including a vertically moveable horizontalpiece and locking equipment for the vertically moveable horizontalpiece, the upper safety piece being designed to trap a building'scornice or protuberance between the horizontal extension and thevertically moveable horizontal piece using the inclined plane, theinclined plane being supported on the upper end of the safety post. 2.Safety equipment for building sites according to claim 1, wherein theupper safety piece is equipped with hooks for rapid connection oftransverse fencing.
 3. Safety equipment for building sites according toclaim 1, wherein the locking mechanism prevents movement of thetelescopic tubes on the safety post, the locking mechanism including atight fitting tubular part surrounding the central part of the safetypost where the telescopic tubes join, the tight fitting tubular partbeing threaded on the inside to join with an outside thread on an upperpart of the lower telescopic tube, so that when the tight fitting tubeis turned to tighten the tight fitting tube, there is a verticalmovement of the tight fitting tube towards the upper telescopic tubeuntil the tight fitting tube butts up against a rod housed in an openingin the upper telescopic tube, the tight fitting tube having at least oneside opening to locate at least one lever key which turns the tightfitting tube.
 4. Safety equipment for building sites according to claim1, wherein hooks are in pairs on the safety post to be placed intoopenings on the fencing, each hook in these pairs being at a differentheight to prevent the hooks from interfering with the fencing.
 5. Safetyequipment for building sites according to claim 1, wherein thehorizontal bars are extendible in length to vary the operating length ofthe fencing.
 6. Safety equipment for building sites according to claim1, wherein the locking mechanism prevents the movement of the telescopictubes on the safety post, the locking mechanism including a tightfitting tube to lock the position of the telescopic tubes.
 7. Safetyequipment for building sites according to claim 3, wherein the lockingmechanism, preventing the movement of the telescopic tubes on the safetypost, includes a safety locking part to prevent the rod from falling outof the safety post.